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Whats a new vegan to do with old leather?

edited December 2009 in Buddhism Basics
Greetings.

I am fairly new to Buddhism. I converted to the philosophy about a year ago without any true commitment to a lifestyle change. I am now a bit more ready to make a lifestyle change, so I've decided I would like to stop eating meat (with a plan to go vegan) and exploiting animals for products that I use.

I am curious to know what is appropriate to do with leather products I already own, and animal products such as tallow-based soaps and such.

In one sense, I see that using these products is not congruent with the lifestyle change I'm trying to make. In another sense it might be considered wasteful to throw them away.

I plan on selling some of this stuff as it would prevent people who would buy it anyway from purchasing the new stuff.

Has anyone faced this problem before? How should I deal with this?

I have some leather goods; belts, steel-toed boots... that I plan on keeping and replacing with cruelty-free products when I am able.

I also have some old-world shaving stuff that I use, like badger hair brushes. I have a synthetic brush on the way to me in the mail. I'm just wondering what you guys would do with this sort of stuff?

Any advice is appreciated. :)

Comments

  • edited December 2009
    You could always donate them to charity.
  • StaticToyboxStaticToybox Veteran
    edited December 2009
    Continue to use the stuff you already have. Disposing of it isn't going to undo the animal's suffering.
    mithril
  • hsrihphsrihp New
    edited December 2009
    Takeahnase wrote: »
    Continue to use the stuff you already have. Disposing of it isn't going to undo the animal's suffering.

    I agree.
  • FyreShamanFyreShaman Veteran
    edited December 2009
    Use what you have. I am vegetarian (almost vegan) and very much against buying any product which creates a market creating slaughter. To do so causes killing, and it is a direct cause IMHO, however others seek to obfuscate the issue.

    It's hard to differentiate, but I think even leather from a second-hand shop is OK, as your purchase is not causal in terms of the death.

    New leather is problematic. If the product made from the animal skin is the reason for its death, as with mink, that is worse (IMHO) than buying leather which is a by-product from an animal killed for meat. Its death was caused for meat and so it may be argued that using a by-product is not causal of the slaughter. It's hard to know, so personally I avoid it.

    It's always good to think of suffering and death and the development of our compassion. As far as Buddhism goes, I see many views of slaughter for food and clothing, but personally I prefer to follow a path which causes least harm to other beings.
    mithril
  • edited December 2009
    I am vegan, and although i dont buy any new leather goods I still use what I have had.
    i see no reason to get rid of my belts, boots etc.
  • ValtielValtiel Veteran
    edited December 2009
    Choosing to practice veganism is an act of compassion.

    Throwing away non-vegan things you already have is just replacing an old attachment with a new one. You can't undo the the suffering that already occured, only make wiser choices in the future.
  • Quiet_witnessQuiet_witness Veteran
    edited December 2009
    Or you can give your old cool non-vegan things to me. I will give them a nice home.
    ;)
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited December 2009
    Takeahnase wrote: »
    Continue to use the stuff you already have. Disposing of it isn't going to undo the animal's suffering.

    ^This.
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